diff --git a/tests/unit/test_research_tools.py b/tests/unit/test_research_tools.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..71ac879a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_research_tools.py
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+"""Unit tests for src/timmy/research_tools.py.
+
+Refs #1237
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sys
+from types import ModuleType
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+import pytest
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.unit
+
+# ── Stub serpapi before any import of research_tools ─────────────────────────
+
+_serpapi_stub = ModuleType("serpapi")
+_google_search_mock = MagicMock()
+_serpapi_stub.GoogleSearch = _google_search_mock
+sys.modules.setdefault("serpapi", _serpapi_stub)
+
+
+# ── google_web_search ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class TestGoogleWebSearch:
+    """google_web_search returns results or degrades gracefully."""
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_returns_empty_string_when_no_api_key(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.delenv("SERPAPI_API_KEY", raising=False)
+        from timmy.research_tools import google_web_search
+
+        result = await google_web_search("test query")
+        assert result == ""
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_logs_warning_when_no_api_key(self, monkeypatch, caplog):
+        import logging
+
+        monkeypatch.delenv("SERPAPI_API_KEY", raising=False)
+        from timmy.research_tools import google_web_search
+
+        with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING, logger="timmy.research_tools"):
+            await google_web_search("test query")
+
+        assert any("SERPAPI_API_KEY" in rec.message for rec in caplog.records)
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_calls_google_search_with_api_key(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setenv("SERPAPI_API_KEY", "fake-key-123")
+
+        mock_instance = MagicMock()
+        mock_instance.get_dict.return_value = {"organic_results": [{"title": "Result"}]}
+
+        with patch("timmy.research_tools.GoogleSearch", return_value=mock_instance) as mock_cls:
+            from timmy.research_tools import google_web_search
+
+            result = await google_web_search("hello world")
+
+        mock_cls.assert_called_once()
+        call_params = mock_cls.call_args[0][0]
+        assert call_params["q"] == "hello world"
+        assert call_params["api_key"] == "fake-key-123"
+        mock_instance.get_dict.assert_called_once()
+        assert "organic_results" in result
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_returns_string_result(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setenv("SERPAPI_API_KEY", "key")
+
+        mock_instance = MagicMock()
+        mock_instance.get_dict.return_value = {"answer": 42}
+
+        with patch("timmy.research_tools.GoogleSearch", return_value=mock_instance):
+            from timmy.research_tools import google_web_search
+
+            result = await google_web_search("query")
+
+        assert isinstance(result, str)
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_passes_query_to_params(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setenv("SERPAPI_API_KEY", "k")
+
+        mock_instance = MagicMock()
+        mock_instance.get_dict.return_value = {}
+
+        with patch("timmy.research_tools.GoogleSearch", return_value=mock_instance) as mock_cls:
+            from timmy.research_tools import google_web_search
+
+            await google_web_search("specific search term")
+
+        params = mock_cls.call_args[0][0]
+        assert params["q"] == "specific search term"
+
+
+# ── get_llm_client ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+class TestGetLLMClient:
+    """get_llm_client returns a client with a completion method."""
+
+    def test_returns_non_none_client(self):
+        from timmy.research_tools import get_llm_client
+
+        client = get_llm_client()
+        assert client is not None
+
+    def test_client_has_completion_method(self):
+        from timmy.research_tools import get_llm_client
+
+        client = get_llm_client()
+        assert hasattr(client, "completion")
+        assert callable(client.completion)
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_completion_returns_object_with_text(self):
+        from timmy.research_tools import get_llm_client
+
+        client = get_llm_client()
+        result = await client.completion("test prompt", max_tokens=100)
+        assert hasattr(result, "text")
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_completion_text_is_string(self):
+        from timmy.research_tools import get_llm_client
+
+        client = get_llm_client()
+        result = await client.completion("any prompt", max_tokens=50)
+        assert isinstance(result.text, str)
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_completion_text_contains_prompt(self):
+        from timmy.research_tools import get_llm_client
+
+        client = get_llm_client()
+        result = await client.completion("my prompt", max_tokens=50)
+        assert "my prompt" in result.text
+
+    def test_each_call_returns_new_client(self):
+        from timmy.research_tools import get_llm_client
+
+        client_a = get_llm_client()
+        client_b = get_llm_client()
+        # Both should be functional clients (not necessarily the same instance)
+        assert hasattr(client_a, "completion")
+        assert hasattr(client_b, "completion")